tigerose:Maynerdkitty what plant is that? It looks like something a Warner Brothers cartoon goat with pick apart and eat...:)

Real Women Drink Akvavit:maynerdkitty: I guess this part of Texas is in a drought, I found this plant in the fence row this weekend.

Holy moley! I've never seen a plant like that here. Looks dangerous. I'm going to guess we don't have 'em here or the gangbangers would be hawking them as weapons along with the rpg launchers and full autos.

We may have them and I just don't know about 'em. I'm not exactly a rural type person.

It is some kind of cactus, I have that one and some prickly pear like things that I have to get rid of. I may buy a few goats to help keep the field in good condition. I worry about snakes in the underbrush so I want the goats to get the brush down enough that I can start mowing around all the big trees. I kind of liked the pretty red color on that cactus but I have to get some hot wire on that fence before the horses can be turned out and I don't want to run into that thing every time I have to work out there.another photo of the cactus with the red things

maynerdkitty:tigerose: Maynerdkitty what plant is that? It looks like something a Warner Brothers cartoon goat with pick apart and eat...:)

Real Women Drink Akvavit: maynerdkitty: I guess this part of Texas is in a drought, I found this plant in the fence row this weekend.

Holy moley! I've never seen a plant like that here. Looks dangerous. I'm going to guess we don't have 'em here or the gangbangers would be hawking them as weapons along with the rpg launchers and full autos.

We may have them and I just don't know about 'em. I'm not exactly a rural type person.

It is some kind of cactus, I have that one and some prickly pear like things that I have to get rid of. I may buy a few goats to help keep the field in good condition. I worry about snakes in the underbrush so I want the goats to get the brush down enough that I can start mowing around all the big trees. I kind of liked the pretty red color on that cactus but I have to get some hot wire on that fence before the horses can be turned out and I don't want to run into that thing every time I have to work out there.another photo of the cactus with the red things[farm9.staticflickr.com image 500x282]

maynerdkitty:tigerose: Maynerdkitty what plant is that? It looks like something a Warner Brothers cartoon goat with pick apart and eat...:)

Real Women Drink Akvavit: maynerdkitty: I guess this part of Texas is in a drought, I found this plant in the fence row this weekend.

Holy moley! I've never seen a plant like that here. Looks dangerous. I'm going to guess we don't have 'em here or the gangbangers would be hawking them as weapons along with the rpg launchers and full autos.

We may have them and I just don't know about 'em. I'm not exactly a rural type person.

It is some kind of cactus, I have that one and some prickly pear like things that I have to get rid of. I may buy a few goats to help keep the field in good condition. I worry about snakes in the underbrush so I want the goats to get the brush down enough that I can start mowing around all the big trees. I kind of liked the pretty red color on that cactus but I have to get some hot wire on that fence before the horses can be turned out and I don't want to run into that thing every time I have to work out there.another photo of the cactus with the red things[farm9.staticflickr.com image 500x282]

Yeah, I'd get rid of the weaponized cactus, for sure. The prickly pear like things, I'd probably try and make margaritas.

maynerdkitty:tigerose: Maynerdkitty what plant is that? It looks like something a Warner Brothers cartoon goat with pick apart and eat...:) Real Women Drink Akvavit: maynerdkitty: I guess this part of Texas is in a drought, I found this plant in the fence row this weekend. Holy moley! I've never seen a plant like that here. Looks dangerous. I'm going to guess we don't have 'em here or the gangbangers would be hawking them as weapons along with the rpg launchers and full autos. We may have them and I just don't know about 'em. I'm not exactly a rural type person. It is some kind of cactus, I have that one and some prickly pear like things that I have to get rid of. I may buy a few goats to help keep the field in good condition. I worry about snakes in the underbrush so I want the goats to get the brush down enough that I can start mowing around all the big trees. I kind of liked the pretty red color on that cactus but I have to get some hot wire on that fence before the horses can be turned out and I don't want to run into that thing every time I have to work out there. another photo of the cactus with the red things [farm9.staticflickr.com image 500x282]

I wonder if "he" could be transplanted. Maybe your local Ag. Extension office? Or local college? The reason I say this is that I know certain cacti are rare and protected...would not want you to get in trouble..

Real Women Drink Akvavit:tigerose: RWDA I live in the Great Lakes region. Imagine how we feel when people want to pipe our water 2 states away! Um..ecosystem peeps..besides we are several feet below normal, and LK Michigan is approaching historic lows. Not good for tourism or the fish. Now watch, it will rain the whole time we are on vacation this summer.

We've been piping our water down south for as long as I've been alive and I'm pushing .... well, let's just say I've been turning 21 for a couple decades now.... and at one point, an entire lake nearly disappeared. Every time I go to SoCal to visit friends or just hit Disneyland and I see a nice, green lawn, my eye starts to twitch. A lot. Many of us up here have drought resistant landscaping and they've got LAWNS?

I do remember a couple times my water bill down there was the same as, or slightly more than, my rent. I guess if they can afford it, they can water their tiny lawn. Up here I have a huge back yard and about half of it is lawn. The other half - drought resistant landscaping/wild native thangs.

I just realized that the crappy weather back east and our warm, dry winter - this has GOT to be a La Niña year. You'd think after all these years in Cali I'd know that by now. So hopefully, we'll be back to normal rainfall next winter, even though it will keep us a few years to catch up. Then we'll have an El Niño year and flooding. Welcome to California, I guess.

I hear ya about shipping your water out of state. That would annoy us even more. I'm pretty sure we already send water to Las Vegas, though I know they also use grey water or whatever reclaimed/recycled water is called for their fountains. We just can't afford it this year, though. I wanna bust out some pool toys and have there be actual water in the pool!

Heh. Cool pool, man.

I can so understand your frustration! I live in the part of NJ called the Highlands. We have a large number of lakes and reservoirs, therefore we must obey certain laws to protect the watershed - no fertilizers with phosphates, have to install water saver appliances whenever possible, etc. I have nothing against protecting the watershed, but it does tick me off that the water in the reservoirs goes to serve Newark, a city with a higher population than my half of this county whose residents to not have to follow any water conservation laws at all! We have to protect the water so that they can waste it!

tigerose:maynerdkitty: tigerose: Maynerdkitty what plant is that? It looks like something a Warner Brothers cartoon goat with pick apart and eat...:) Real Women Drink Akvavit: maynerdkitty: I guess this part of Texas is in a drought, I found this plant in the fence row this weekend. Holy moley! I've never seen a plant like that here. Looks dangerous. I'm going to guess we don't have 'em here or the gangbangers would be hawking them as weapons along with the rpg launchers and full autos. We may have them and I just don't know about 'em. I'm not exactly a rural type person. It is some kind of cactus, I have that one and some prickly pear like things that I have to get rid of. I may buy a few goats to help keep the field in good condition. I worry about snakes in the underbrush so I want the goats to get the brush down enough that I can start mowing around all the big trees. I kind of liked the pretty red color on that cactus but I have to get some hot wire on that fence before the horses can be turned out and I don't want to run into that thing every time I have to work out there. another photo of the cactus with the red things [farm9.staticflickr.com image 500x282]

I wonder if "he" could be transplanted. Maybe your local Ag. Extension office? Or local college? The reason I say this is that I know certain cacti are rare and protected...would not want you to get in trouble..

I went to the county website and found that most of these cacti are not native, they came in when people started planting non native grasses that did not tolerate the conditions as well, when they thinned out too much the invasive plants moved in. I want to find out more about the native grasses and see about planting them in the fields if they will hold up to the horses. I will try to do the front yard in native plants but not native animals. There was a dead scorpion in the broken air conditioner and people tell me there are invisible snakes hiding in the oak leaves.

Real Women Drink Akvavit:No kidding! Japan gets most of their rice from us, even. Since I'm not too terribly far from where so much of it is grown outside of SacTown (though I'm the opposite side of Sac from the rice paddies) I am fully aware how much water that takes. I'm also thinking I need some goats. Ever since the CalEPA put the kibosh on burning so much rice stubble, every time I go over the causeway (or whatever the term for it is) that time of year, I see goats munching it all down. Apparently the owners rent them out to the rice growers!

I had a good laugh when watching the Modern Marvels episode on rice, because one of the rice farms that they showed was one in Sacramento (probably the same that you're thinking of). It makes sense, because most of that area is one giant floodplain anyway. I remember being worried about our ground-floor apartment right next to the American River and Sac State getting flooded out one year. It didn't, but came DAMN close. As for critters munching the shrubbery, at the Mountain House extension of Delta College in Tracy there are herds of sheep all over the place in the fields to the east of campus. Yay eco-friendliness! :)

/loves rice, cooks with it often//especially curry///I make an amazing Japanese curry

L33t Squirrel:I remember being worried about our ground-floor apartment right next to the American River and Sac State getting flooded out one year. It didn't, but came DAMN close.

Was that the year some of the buildings at Sac State flooded? If it is, I remember that year pretty well. I didn't sleep more than a couple hours for three and a half days. Never being one to pass up "extra" money, I helped with the cleanup there. I was working full time during the day, then 12 hour shifts overnight until we got the flood damage cleaned out. I made more those three days than I had the previous two weeks straight. I shoulda got all that money in small change and slept on it, ala Scrooze McDuck, but with more sleeping, less diving. I was exhausted when we were finished.

It's effing delicious. They use a different set of spices and veggies than the Indian stuff, which I'm still getting used to. If you're ever in the Asian section of the grocery store look for the "Golden Curry" box. One of these days I'll make that stuff from scratch, but for now, it's hard to beat. Well, that and thoroughly dousing the chicken with Sriracha, ginger, and sesame oil in a wok.

tigerose:Alpo 3000: tigerose: Alpo3000. I really like the old applehead Siamese. I think they look rather regal! Louis you remimd me of a neighbors cat from long ago. Pepe. He was a dear. I must ask, is Minnie a Moocher? :)

lilyspad:Alpo 3000: tigerose: Alpo3000. I really like the old applehead Siamese. I think they look rather regal! Louis you remimd me of a neighbors cat from long ago. Pepe. He was a dear. I must ask, is Minnie a Moocher? :)

Lurv me some classic jazz!

Forgot: enjoy the poetry as always!

I called her Minne The Moocher and she stared at me incredulously....[img208.imageshack.us image 800x600]

It's effing delicious. They use a different set of spices and veggies than the Indian stuff, which I'm still getting used to. If you're ever in the Asian section of the grocery store look for the "Golden Curry" box. One of these days I'll make that stuff from scratch, but for now, it's hard to beat. Well, that and thoroughly dousing the chicken with Sriracha, ginger, and sesame oil in a wok.

I second this opinion! We get the "hot" variety (which isn't really all that spicy to me, but soooo tasty!) I usually do peppers, onions, carrots, and celery along with chicken. Don't get to eat it much right now because mom can't eat it - we make it when she's not home for dinner. Also with the group of rice-lovers! I could eat rice several times a day w/o a problem! My dad did that... Hispanic, but spent time in Korea, Vietnam & Japan in the service... so many of the foods I grew up loving were of Hispanic and Asian origin.

mousiebelle:I second this opinion! We get the "hot" variety (which isn't really all that spicy to me, but soooo tasty!) I usually do peppers, onions, carrots, and celery along with chicken. Don't get to eat it much right now because mom can't eat it - we make it when she's not home for dinner. Also with the group of rice-lovers! I could eat rice several times a day w/o a problem! My dad did that... Hispanic, but spent time in Korea, Vietnam & Japan in the service... so many of the foods I grew up loving were of Hispanic and Asian origin.

*Internet fistbump.* Swap out the onions and peppers for mushrooms and that's exactly the same way I make it. The "hot" is tasty and mild to me, but I grew up on proper Mexican and Asian foods, so my setting for "hot" food is a bit skewed. Stuff that has made people break into a sweat is tingly to me. Though I've never gone into a Thai place and requested that the cook "hurt me." The hubby's co-worker did that once at a place she was a frequent customer, and taunted the cook that "the last time I was unimpressed" when several of them went to lunch together. He remarked that it was delicious, but that first bite damn near knocked him out of his chair. :D

Well, being a Californian myself, I would have to say that all foods are fusion foods. At least they are here. Take whatever cuisines you like, mash 'em together and throw some avocado on it, serve with local wine - ta-da! California cuisine!